#KINGSTON, April 1 (JIS): The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries is assuring that there is no shortage of local agricultural produce to supply the domestic market.
Speaking
at a digital press briefing
on Tuesday (March 31), Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry, Hon. J.C.
Hutchinson,
said there are adequate
supplies of meat,
eggs, and fresh food, including vegetables, fruits and tubers.
“Our farmers are
on the job. They have not stopped working and [as such] there are plentiful
supplies,” he said.
Mr. Hutchinson informed that egg
production is approximately 22 per cent higher over last year, noting that the
country is averaging approximately 15 million eggs per month, which is adequate
to supply normal demand.
He said this level of production is
expected to be maintained until the end of May.
Additionally, Mr. Hutchinson said consultations
with pig industry stakeholders indicate that there are adequate supplies of
pork in the marketplace and sufficient animals in the system for slaughter for
the next few months, pointing out that “this will be adequate to meet normal
demand for this product”.
He further said chicken meat
production will average approximately 2.7 million kilogrammes per week for the
next nine weeks, up to early May 2020.
“At this time, the industry is not
seeing any immediate factors that will cause any significant disruption in its
capacity to continue production beyond this point or to prevent the conversion
of the chickens now in the field and being hatched in the next three weeks from
being processed,” he said.
The Minister informed that chicken
represents approximately 80 per cent of the ratio meat protein supplied to and
consumed by local consumers.
Mr. Hutchinson
said efforts will be made to reduce issues of bottlenecks and disruption in
distribution if and when these arise.
He added
that the Ministry is working with the private sector to rationalise and manage
excess production of meats and eggs to ensure continued support to local
industries and increased demand and movement of these products.
Mr. Hutchinson advised that the
Ministry is working with stakeholders in the various value chains to ensure
that food supplies are maintained and inventories are being monitored.
Additionally,
he informed that the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) has
conducted an assessment of the country’s supply of selected critical
agricultural produce and is reporting that, by all indications, vegetables,
condiments, fruits, roots and tubers are and will be in normal supply.
“Vegetable
production remains in good supply, with the exception of the exotics (broccoli
and cauliflower) and coloured bell peppers. Vegetables will remain in good
supply for the period March to May.
“Fruits available are cantaloupe,
melon, papaya, pineapple, banana, plantain, Otaheite apple, star apple and
mango. Fruits will be in their usual abundance for the reporting period of
March to May,” he said.
Meanwhile,
Mr. Hutchinson is urging Jamaicans to utilise local produce and products that
are available and may end up being in excess supply.
“RADA is also encouraging the public
to consume these produces to boost the immune system against the COVID-19 virus
and to reduce food loss and waste at this time when essential vitamins and
nutrients are needed to guard against COVID-19,” he said.